Elder and Treasurer of the Fasitootai Church Holds Firm to the Seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath
Ilai Koomwaiyou in front of the Samatau Church
Ilai (Iosua) Koomwaiyou was born and raised a member of the Congregational Christian Church in Samoa, and sincerely believed his church was the true one, and he faithfully attended church on Sundays. He tells his story in his own words:
In my late-20’s, I was involved in some complicated problems. My aunt, a Seventh-day Adventist, reached out to assist and support me when I was in deep trouble and in need of help. This act of kindness touched me deeply. When my aunt shared her church beliefs with me, I took an interest in what she said because of the genuine love she showed for me during my troubles. The most difficult principle of the Seventh-day Adventist Church which I found hard to accept was the seventh-day Sabbath. I had always believed that Sunday was the Sabbath, however, with Bible studies from my aunt’s pastor, I was finally convinced that the Sabbath of the Lord is Saturday, the seventh day of the week. While it was hard to go to church on the day in which sports, events and everything important in my life took place, I realized that I had to go all the way to obey God.
On 18 June 1983, I was baptized at the Fasitootai Church, as there is no church in my neighbouring village, Leulumoega. I am the only Seventh-day Adventist in my immediate family, but I have been very fortunate to be able to join the only church which keeps all of God’s commandments.
When the Government changed the International Dateline to the side where it was originally, I really thought there wouldn’t be any confusion and question in keeping the seventh-day Sabbath as it is a straightforward matter, and I was very surprised when our leaders decided to keep Sunday instead of Saturday. The Bible clearly gives us the command to keep the seventh-day sabbath. Jesus kept the Sabbath, and even in His death, He rested in the grave on Sabbath and rose on Sunday, he first day of the week. I could not believe that my church, which means so much to me, and which has been known by everyone in Samoa the Sabbath-keeping church, has decided to keep Sunday instead of Sabbath! I just cannot and could not accept this belief, nor will I ever consider going back to Sunday keeping.
Last year, I was an elder and the treasurer of our Fasitootai SDA Church. This year, I was appointed as Assistant Head Elder and Sabbath School Leader for our church. When the church leaders gave the instruction for us to keep Sunday as the Sabbath, I made up my mind to keep God’s sabbath at home and not go to worship on Sunday. When the Fasitootai Church found out that I was not worshipping on Sunday, I was stripped of my church responsibilities.
After several Sabbaths of reading our Bibles at home on Sabbath, another family who used to worship with me at the Fasitootai Church informed me that they had received information from overseas that there were Sabbath keepers at Samatau. We came to find out if this is true and we were warmly welcomed by our Sabbath-keeping brothers and sisters in Samatau. This (March 24) is our third Sabbath of worship at Samatau. We come in the morning and stay until after the afternoon service, and we are very contented to again be able to worship God on the seventh-day Sabbath, which He commanded us to do.
I used to talk to another Fasitootai Sunday keeper friend to share my reasons for keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, but he has been asked by others not to waste his time talking to me. Some former members whom I worshipped with still talk to me, though very briefly and not as open as before, but others are furious at me for not worshipping on Sunday. I have asked them not to get mad at me and not to listen to false gossip being circulated about the “rebellious Sabbath keepers.” We are obeying the will of God – not the instructions of men.
I thank all the members of God’s family overseas for their prayers and support for the Sabbath keepers in Samoa. My request is that you continue to pray for us as we need strength and encouragement.
I thank God for giving me the understanding and a heart to be able to hold on, despite not knowing at first that there were other faithful believers who, like me opted to obey God rather than the local and overseas leaders of the Church who directed that we worship on Sunday. I kept Sunday blindly most of my life when I was a member of another faith but I am not going back to that. I know the Sabbath truth, and I will remain firm until my Lord returns, for I want to be saved.
Ilai (Iosua) Koomwaiyou is a 54-year-old Seventh-day Adventist form Leulumoega,
Praise God for He is a God of orderliness. As I read Ilai (Iosua) Koomwaiyou’s testimony, I am both encouraged for I sense the Holy Spirit’s leading in his decision to remain true to the 7th day Sabbath. At the same time, I am saddened at the confusion caused by leaders of the church. However, we all know and acknowledge that the Leader of all Truths is Jesus Christ and He is the Lord of the Sabbath-the 7th day. I want to say again how appreciative I am to receive these up to date news of the development of the situation about the Sabbath in Samoa. Even as I read and write this entry, I am reminded of a revelation that one of our church members shared during our Sabbath School lesson study time yesterday (Sab, 26th May, 2012). We have had in the past 5-7 weeks a lady who was revealed about the 7th day Sabbath and she had been coming to our church each Sabbath. She told our church member of a revelation God showed her as she sat at the back of our church in her first visit to our church. She said as she sat at the back she was shown a picture of the church and it was ‘shaking’ like an earthquake. Our town is susceptible to earthquakes. Then again on the 2nd Sabbath as she sat in the church, this same vision came to her. I could not help thinking as I heard the story being told that our ‘local’ church is going to experience the ‘shaking’ time we as Adventists know and believe will come. But now as I read Ilai (Iosua) Koomwaiyou’s testimony, even the ‘shaking’ experience is happening in Samoa. My prayer is that ‘those who have ears to hear, hear what the Spirit is saying to the church’ in these last days.’ (Rev 2-3). May the Spirit of God give you courage to stand and continue to stand and to encourage all our other brothers and sisters to ‘keep looking unto Jesus Christ’ for it is in Him and Him alone will they find the ‘reason, purpose’ to stand strong in these days of evil. God bless our Samoan people to ‘lift Jesus Christ up so that He will draw all people unto Himself’ (John 12:32) Alofaaga to all our Samoan people who are affected by the confusion over the Sabbath issue.
Malo lava IIlai (Iosua) Koomwaiyou ma vi’ia Le Atua. God richly bless you for your stand for Jesus truth. Your story is a heart-warming testament of the Holy Spirit leading you and others determined to follow God’s Word and not be dissuaded by man’s folly! We don’t know God’s purpose for your trial and tribulation but for us to have Faith as you demonstrate and pray for His continued love and mercy to show in His time, the reason for the Samoan Sabbath dilemma. May God continue to protect and keep you and those of the Lighthouse Keepers, shining a bright light to the Samoan Seventh Day Adventists community. May His Will prevail for His Glory when He is good and ready. God Bless you brother in Jesus, your story is a real blessing and a witness to others looking on. Ulalei
wow, this baffles my mind. ive known alot of sda’s from samoa who when in nz did not observe sabbath on sundays, even though this would have been their sabbath in samoa (before samoa aligned their time with nz). so whats the difference now?
Blessings on this Sapati eve Brother/Sister, the fundamental difference really is following God’s Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us in truth. It is as uncomplicated as this. Please continue to pray for our Samoan SDA community, the Sabbath Keepers and sunday worshippers.
Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Dear “ant head,”
I see your point and concur with your conclusion. If our Samoan members could successfully make the adjustment, earlier last year, when crossing the date line and visiting New Zealand, why can’t they make the adjustment for the date line shift and get the (Saturday) Sabbath right in their own country, this year?
The answer appears to be a long history of SDA Sunday keeping in the region — especially in Tonga, where it all began in the 1890s as the result of a mistake made by our early SDA missionaries.
So, why can’t our Samoan members get it right? Well, they have now been heavily indoctrinated, from the division level on down, to get it wrong. However, with a little enlightenment and encouragement, more and more Samoan Adventists are taking their stand for the true (Saturday) Sabbath.
Why all of the heavy indoctrination? Why not just correct the long-standing error? That might be a good question to ask our church leaders, especially at the South Pacific Division and General Conference levels.
Talofa Mr White! I agree with your comments! The error imposed on the Togans should not be repeated with the Samoans! I am also puzzelled why it is a complicated matter! Eg one of my sisters who married to a non-sda member, lived in Tonga for approx 2yrs is no longer a sda member! Satan is roaming seeking all he can betray! Whoever is keeping the Sunday for the Sabath Will not be affected by the Sunday Law when it is enforced!
Let’s us unite and ask the Lord for his guidance n direction! Ia faamanuia tele le Atua iai latou uma o loo aafia I le faia o a latou filifiliga!
The 7th day Sabbath is the Seventh day Adventist’s